PC gaming

The first batch of content to be released for the Hearthstone: Curse of Naxxramas expansion is the Arachnid quarter. We have covered this title before, but in case this is your first trip to Engaged Family Gaming you can find our reviews here.

The Arachnid Quarter’s flavor is much of what you would expect from the name. You will not only encounter zombies and oozes, but also spiders. The final boss of the wing is Maexxna, a giant spider.

Experienced players with well tuned decks should not find the content to be that tough on normal difficulty. (I made it through without suffering a loss.) As you clear each boss you are rewarded with a new card that is themed after the Naxxramas zone. In the Arachnid wing you are able to unlock the following cards: Haunted Creeper, Nerub’ar Weblord, Nerubian Egg, and the legendary Maexxna (Card images in the gallery below!). All of these cards are neutral and can be utilized in any deck. Pro tip: I found it very useful to change decks for each boss in order to try and negate each boss’s hero power.

A pair of class challenges is unlocked as soon as players defeat all three bosses. In this quarter the two classes featured are Druid and Rogue. In these challenges the player is presented with a pre-built deck and asked to defeat one of the bosses again. The rewards for defeating the two class challenges come in the form of class cards. Poison Seeds for the Druid and Anub’ar Ambusher for the Rogue. (Card images are in the gallery below!) I found these challenges to be entertaining, because players are normally familiar with the cards in their own decks. However, in these challenges every draw is a surprise.

The three bosses are also available in a “Heroic Mode” after you complete them on normal difficulty. Players are again asked to defeat the same three bosses, but this time the bosses may start with more life, empowered hero abilities, or even minions on the board before the game starts. I found Maexxna the most challenging since I had to construct a deck specifically to combat her. Players do not earn new cards for winning these fights individually, but once all three bosses are defeated in Heroic Mode a new card back is unlocked for use. This is a cosmetic change, but it is a welcome one.

I am a longtime World of Warcraft player so I really enjoyed seeing some of the challenges I faced in the Naxxramas raid given new life in Hearthstone. I can’t wait to see what new challenges and new cards are on the way next week!

First off: if you are somehow unfamiliar with Hearthstone, then you should bring yourself up to speed by reading our review here. The Curse of Naxxramas expansion includes several new features including new cards, solo adventure content, and class-based challenges for the different decks.

It is important to note that before a player can access the new content all 9 classes have to be unlocked through the various practice fights. But, once they are unlocked you will be able to access the content if you have purchased it (the first quarter is currently available for free). These are significant challenges so it is recommended that players tweak their decks and learn the advanced strategies first, however, before taking the plunge.

The first quarter is available initially, but additional wings will become accessible in the future. Once opened these wings can become purchasable either by spending 700 in-game gold or by paying $20 to unlock them all.

The first quarter available in the expansion consists of three boss fights. Defeating each boss earns you you a new card. Defeating the third boss earns you a legendary card to add to your collection. This also unlocks two class challenges and the heroic mode of the quarter.

Class challenges pit a player against one of the classes using a random deck. For each class challenge that is defeated another card is unlocked. In heroic mode you fight the same 3 bosses on a much higher difficulty. In heroic mode is different in that your opponent starts with 45 life instead of 30. They also have a more powerful hero power. Last but not least in heroic mode your opponent can and will use cards from multiple classes. The deck is more than a little stacked against you in this mode (metaphorically speaking). Players will need to use trial and error will be needed to determine which deck is best suited for each boss.

Overall,I found the new content to be a solid addition to the game itself. There are other fun upgrades like a new game board to play on (and click!) and access to the new cards that are unlocked in the arena mode. The only drawback I encountered is that while playing solo adventure content in the expansion you do not earn gold for victories, and quests cannot be completed. Those are minor complaints though. The expansion is definitely a good thing.

Note: I will be sharing my thoughts about each of the different quarters of the solo adventure content in individual articles since they are being released separately.

Blizzard has finally released details for its first expansion of the Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft digital card game. Hearthstone: Curse of Naxxramas will introduce a single-player adventure mode based on the Naxxramas dungeon in World of Warcraft.

The adventure will include five “wings” of content that will be released one wing per week, starting with The Arachnid Quarter on July 22nd. The pricing plan is convoluted, but basically you can buy each wing for $6.99 or 700 in-game gold. If you purchase more than one wing at a time you’ll get a discount. For those that don’t want to spend money and who immediately spend all their gold on card packs (yeah, that’s me too), Blizzard is giving away the first wing during the release window (roughly a month).

Another thing that the Curse of Naxxramas expansion brings to the game, something much needed to Hearthstone, is new cards. Player pundits have begun strongly lamenting the stagnation of the game’s different strategies over the last few months. The “good” decks have gotten so streamlined that there is little to no variation between them. This creates a frustrating environment for new players. The Curse of Naxxramas will introduce 30 new cards that center around the “Deathrattle” keyword (Deathrattle is an effect that triggers when something dies), with most of the cards either including the Deathrattle keyword on the card or dealing with death in other ways (definitely appropriate for an expansion build around a massive undead city). The crown jewel of this collection of new cards is the new legendary card called Baron Rivendare, who makes your minions trigger their Deathrattle abilities twice.

For more information, check out the excellent wiki page over at Gamepedia.com.

Let us know in the comments if you’re planning to brave the necropolis of Naxxramas. We certainly will be.

Overall Review

I am… was… a man of principle. I was not going to play Hearthstone. I didn’t care that everywhere I looked I heard about its deep strategy, its colorful graphics and sound, and the lure of opening packs. I refused to try it. This was a free-to-play game and I stand for Truth, Justice, and the Console way!

But as the official release grew ever closer, I could feel the desire building. When, at last, a version came to the iPad, I took my first baby steps into a world of gaming I’d not been in since dabbling in Magic: The Gathering back in college.

Hearthstone is a digital CCG (collectible card game) in which you collect cards, build decks, and battle friends and strangers alike. Cards are bought with either 100 in-game “gold” earned through daily challenges or with real money ($2.99 for two packs and up). It’s the fairness of this system that really won me over. Each day you get a challenge, usually worth 40 gold, that might require you to win three games as a certain Warcraft class themed deck, or perhaps deal 100 damage to enemies. Most of these can be done the same day and that equates to a new pack of cards every two to three days. There is also a crafting system that allows you to “disenchant” cards you don’t want into “dust” and use it to create new cards. You can easily play this game seriously and never pay a dime, or you can spend money if you want. It’s a free-to-play game that didn’t make me feel icky.

Hearthstone has a simple premise. Collect cards to build decks and battle others. The cards come in five levels of rarity: free, common, rare, epic, and legendary. As rarity increases so to does the cards power and potential to impact the game. Each card pack contains five cards and at least one of them is guaranteed to be a rare or better. Depending on your luck, you might get additional rares, epics, or legendaries, with a legendary being on par with winning the lottery (that might be a smidgen of exaggeration, but in my months of playing I’ve only found one legendary). You might also get a gold card of any rarity, which are nicely animated and can be disenchanted for a lot of dust.

The point of collecting all these cards is to build a 30-card deck based on one of the eight champions: Warrior, Shaman, Rogue, Paladin, Hunter, Druid, Warlock, Mage, and Priest. Each has a Hero Power that can be used once per turn for 2 mana (we’ll get to mana later). For example, the Hunter can deal two damage to the opponent’s hero or the Warlock can take two damage and draw a card. Each hero is based off a legendary character from the World of Warcraft ethos. If you like WoW, you’ll know immediately who these heroes are. If you’re like me and have never touched WoW, they are still very cool. While each hero has a pool of class specific cards, there is a much larger pool of Neutral cards that can be used with all classes.

The “mana” system is what you use to play cards. Each card has a cost in the upper left corner, and if you have enough mana you can play it. You start turn one with 1 mana, and each turn after that you get another until you reach the maximum 10 mana per turn. Each turn the pool is refreshed for your playing pleasure. There are also some cards that can affect the mana pool.

When you first start up Hearthstone, after the obligatory account sign up, you are given a single hero, Jaina Proudmoore the Mage. With her you will face a series of tutorials cleverly disguised as battles. Overcome these trials and you’ll unlock the Play area, where you can play ranked games or casual ones. Win in Ranked (also called the Ladder) and you’ll move from level 25 down to 1 and finally Legend, or you can spend your time experimenting in Casual without consequence. When you grow tired of Mage, you can go into Practice mode and battle each of the other CPU-controlled classes to unlock them. Unlock them all and you’ll open a new play area, the Arena.

“The Arena” is a mode where you pick one of three presented classes. Then you get thirty 1-out-of-3 choices to build your deck and off you go to face one online player after another. Lose three matches and you’re out. Win and you get a pack of cards, and maybe some additional gold or dust. Keep winning and your prizes get bigger and bigger. Entry into the Arena costs either 150 gold, or $1.99. Since a pack of cards alone costs 100 gold, it’s often a better deal to save just a bit more for the chance at bigger gains.

A description of Hearthstone’s mechanics doesn’t give justice to the immaculate craftsmanship Blizzard has pulled off here. Each card is played to their own intro. Whether flashy or subtle, they all have a personality and a weight. The cards feel real, and when you see a large minion slam to the ground with a web of cracked earth, you know you just made something significant happen. Beyond the beauty is a deep strategy that is oh so satisfying when you pull off that amazing combo that shatters your opponent. (Literally! If you beat your opponent and their icon break into pieces). 200+ games in and I’m still learning new things every time I play.

Family Gaming Assessment

This game is built on attacks and aggression. Weapons abound, and violence is accentuated by the card portraits, the (well developed) quips of the minions as you play them, and the animations when damage is dealt. Also, the themes of many card portraits and some of the attack descriptions have a dark almost horror theme.

As with many other entries into the Fantasy genre, Hearthstone is sometimes guilty of showing excessive skin in its character portraits for both heroes and cards. Think excessive cleavage, men in loincloths, that sort of thing. However, they are certainly less guilty than many entries and I found it remarkably subdued for the genre.

Playability Assessment

The game play itself might frustrate younger players, especially considering it has frustrated me enough times. Each turn presents several complex choices that must be made with a timed turn and a thorough understanding of what each card is doing is necessary to play the game effectively.

Players will need to be able to read well and have strong reading comprehension to be able to play this game at all.

Conclusion

This is a free-to-play game so I recommend that everyone who likes the idea of a digital CCG game to give it a try. Iam loving it!

The Future

Blizzard is releasing an update to Hearthstone, Curse of Naxxramas, and it is expected as early as this month. This expansion will introduce thirty new cards into the game through single player adventures. Look for more on Naxxramas and the world of Hearthstone in future articles.

Yacht Club Games
Reviewed for WiiU (Also on 3DS and PC)
Rated E for Everyone

Release Date: 06/26/2014

Overall Review

Many of us have been playing games for more than twenty years. There are a lot of games in the rear view mirror for us. So many, in fact, that we just don’t remember how they actually played. We love them so much that we forget how absolutely soul crushing they could be. Shovel Knight is a rare game that evokes all of those positive memories without constantly slapping its players in the face with archaic game mechanics.

Shovel Knight was a massively successful project on Kickstarter and it feels like the entire gaming population has been waiting with baited breath for its release. That time has come and I am pleased to report that Shovel Knight delivers on all of its promises.

The most noteworthy feature of Shovel Knight is its 8-bit retro aesthetic. It draws inspiration from the pixel art used in classic NES era games like Mega Man, Castlevania, and Ducktales. The environments are stunning and the monsters are crafted to remind us of the games of our youth.

The premise of the game is straight forward. Players control the great hero Shovel Knight on a quest to defeat the members of The Order of No Quarter and reach the evil Enchantress and rescues his beloved Shield Knight. The Order of No Quarter is a nefarious team of evildoers made up of the likes of Plague Knight, Treasure Knight, Mole Knight, and Propeller Knight (among others). Anyone who noticed the familiar naming convention gets bonus points for paying attention! The different stages and their boss encounters match up very well with those that we will remember from the Mega Man series. Each boss has a specific theme and their stages are masterfully built to match.

The different boss stages are well balanced and full of challenges. Each of them forces you to learn a new set of tricks and continuously build on it until the end. The good news here is that checkpoints are spread generously through each of the levels; many of them placed immediately after significant challenges. This is one of the most welcome design decisions Yacht Club Games has made. Spacing the checkpoints out even a little bit more might have taken the game straight from “difficult” to “frustrating.” Instead, we are treated with a smooth cadence of challenges that keep us motivated to push forward as opposed to recoiling from them.

The entire game is masterfully built in a way that invites players to achieve as opposed to punishing them for failure. That, in and of itself, is perfection made real in modern game design.

Family Gaming Assessment

Shovel Knight does involve combat, but it is abstracted by an 8-bit animated aesthetic. Outside of a few creepy moments in Specter Knight’s level there is nothing that should concern parents from a content perspective here.

Further, Shovel Knight is a true hero. He attempts to make peace with as many of the foes that stand in his way as possible. In fact, his hesitation to do battle in favor of talking this out is a pleasant change of pace as so many “heroes” rush in swords drawn or guns blazing.

Playability

There is no sugarcoating this folks. Shovel Knight is very difficult. It is rated E for everyone by the ESRB, but this is a game that can be discouraging to inexperience players. Yacht Club Games was gracious enough to provide me with a copy of the game for my eight year old son’s 3DS so I could have him give Shovel Knight a whirl. He found the character and the story interesting from the outset, but he grew frustrated within a few minutes of starting the game. His biggest challenge came from dealing with the downward shovel/pogo bouncing that is required to advance through certain challenges.

Put simply, this is not a game for novices. With that said, the game is inviting and is possessed of a light sense of humor that youngsters will enjoy. I noticed him picking the game back up when I wasn’t watching to try and master some of the challenges. He may not be playing it for long stretches, but if he earns his platforming chops from Shovel Knight I am terrified for my ability to compete when he is older.

Much of the game’s story is delivered through text so children who have a difficult time reading may miss some of the finer points of the story, but a parent sitting beside them and reading the dialogue (with exaggerated voices of course) is as good as many story books we will read to them.

Conclusion

Shovel Knight is now on the short list for my game of the year. It is just that good. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys challenging platformers.

Parents of young children will want to keep this game on their radar for the future and buy it up once you feel they are ready for a real challenge.

One of the interesting games to come out of E3 2014 was an indie title called Cuphead.

I know what you might be thinking, “Cup. Head. What in the world could that game be about?”

Well. The answer is pretty straight forward. It is a game about a guy who has a cup for a head. I’ll just let that sink in for a minute.

OK. Sunk in? Good. Let’s move on.

To be specific, Cuphead is a 2D, side-scrolling shooter that sports a hand drawn 1930’s era cartoon aesthetic. We don’t know much about the story or anything specific about the game play. But, the developer Studio MDHR has a lot of experience with the genre having developed GunStar Heroes and a CONTRA title.

I can’t call it a beautiful game, but if the animation is as smooth in the final product as it was in the trailer then Cuphead could be a very appealing option when it drops next year. Regardless, it should help scratch the family gaming itch next year.

Take a look at the trailer below and let us know what you think in the comments!

May the Fourth…er, Force, be with you. This weekend marks the annual Star Wars holiday, which makes it a perfect time to play The Old Republic (SWTOR), the Star Wars based Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG, or MMO for short).

For those familiar with the Star Wars universe, the game is set in the past, before the movies. Jedi are in their heyday, as are the Sith forces that oppose them. There’s several races available, and several character types. Players can choose wise Jedi, stalwart Troopers, wily Smugglers, or other classes.

Gameplay follows many of the classic MMO formulae: characters start in a tutorial area to learn the basic controls; they are given missions to perform, with experience points, money, and gear as rewards; and there are plenty of options for solo and group play.

The missions that you receive are one of the game’s strengths: its story-driven nature. While there are certainly a vast number of side quests (inconsequential tasks, such as helping a local with a minor issue, something that can be easily skipped) to help your character grow stronger on their journeys, they are simply steps along the path in a greater story, an almost movie-like tale that focuses on you.

Another helpful feature of the game is the companion mechanic. Each character is paired with a non-player character (NPC), a computer-controlled companion that helps you out, converses with you, and lets you know what they think about what is going on. Though the companion has their own story, and own tasks, they are your greatest asset when it comes to completing the missions, which are woven into a consistent story line. While players can team up with other players (for the short- or long-term), players can also play solo, with the companion’s help.

At the core of the game, though, is a series of moral decisions: there is a Light Side and a Dark Side to the Force, and that concept infuses the game. While players can choose to side with the Jedi (Republic) or the Sith (Empire), they also have to decide whether to stay with the Light or the Dark, based on the decisions they make during their story: do they spare their defeated foe, and send them to a trial, or do they finish them off and end the threat? These aren’t simply theoretical questions; characters are faced with not only the decisions, but the consequences. Companions will change their opinion of you based on your actions, and characters will be marked by which path they take; fall too deeply to the Dark Side, and the corruption will start to show, as a character will start to look scarred and diseased.

The Light/Dark mechanic is the greatest teaching moment of the game, but is also the source of greatest concern, in my mind. While the Light options are solid virtues to reinforce (honesty, selflessness, bravery), the Dark options can be very dark (senseless violence, torture, etc.) I would recommend encouraging teens to stick to the Light side, and either keeping up with their progress to see how they’re doing, or by playing with them.

The other issue to watch for is play time. By nature, MMO games are time-consuming, with many hours of gameplay going into completing “just one more mission!” Parents will want to monitor the amount of time that players sink into the game.

Gameplay is a combination of mouse and keyboard work; the mouse controls movement, while actions can be selected by keyboard or mouse. Actions happen in real time, so younger players (and maybe even a few older ones!) might be challenged to determine what to do during a fight. Problem-solving and tactical skills will definitely be put to the test. Fortunately, if you’re defeated, you are simply sent back to the nearest medical station, from where you can continue your story.

The visuals are good, but not phenomenal; they’re to be expected of a game that’s 2+ years old. The sound, on the other hand, is top-notch, full of familiar Star Wars music and excellent voice-acting. Dialog is also subtitled, allowing someone to read along with the dialog (either to work on reading skills, or to play with the sound down in case younger siblings are sleeping.)

Following a recent trend in MMO, there’s two tiers of play in SWTOR: free, and subscription. Subscribed members earn better rewards from missions and have more options as a result of their paid status. For folks not interested in paying out $15 a month for a full subscription (or who play too infrequently or erratically to warrant a subscription), there is a mechanic to unlock subscription benefits in an a la carte manner.

Overall, Star Wars the Old Republic is a good game for fans of Star Wars. The Light/Dark mechanic is a great method to teach (and reinforce) moral decision-making skills, and the Free play option makes it accessible for gamers on a budget. For mature teens (and parents!), this is a good way to get your lightsaber fix, but the younger crowd might want to skip this one.

I saw a lot of interesting indie titles while I wandered the show floor at PAX East. Only a few of them stood out to me as something that needed real attention. Treasure Adventure World was one of the best.

Developed by Robit Studios, a team of three people, Treasures Adventure World looks like a treat. The story follows common video game tropes: a young girl with amnesia, a companion with ambiguous intentions, and an adventure to discover her past. The adorable aesthetic, however, more than pushes it ahead of the pack. This is a gorgeous game to watch. Characters are well animated (even at this early stage of development) and the levels are beautifully done.

Treasure Adventure World takes a Metroidvania style adventure game and makes it accessible to a younger audience. Simple controls and a straight forward premise will let younger players enjoy this richly animated world without getting confused. The protagonist does slowly acquire new tools that will allow players to explore different areas for secrets, but these changes are brought on slowly to avoid overwhelming anyone.

Robit Studios is doing amazing things with this game and I cannot wait to share more with you. Stay tuned to Engaged Family Gaming in the near future for more updates.

These are heavy themes that are not commonly explored in video games, but Heart Shaped Games plans to do just that with Hero Generations. The game is currently on Kickstarter and is approaching its goal (90% at the time of this writing) with less than two weeks to go.

Hero Generations is a strategy game that forces players to make very careful choices. Each turn represents one year of a characters life so you need to think carefully about each move in order to keep your character’s family line continuing forward.

The harsh reality of Hero Generations is that if you fail to have a child to take your place before you die then it is Game Over. This means you can’t just ride off into the sunset at an old age, or go out in a blaze of glory. You need to balance your wild adventurous side with your inner homebody to make sure that you are able to attract a bride (or groom) and have a successor.

Players will be presented with FAR more than they can accomplish in one lifetime and will be forced to make tough choices along the way. Should they develop their kingdom and infrastructure (making it easier for their offspring to move around)? Should they go on a wild adventure (and have a greater chance to bring back wealth)? Should you settle down and have a child early (making it more likely to carry on the family line)? These are the kinds of gameplay decisions that players will be asked to make.

Most strategy games are so grand in scope that the value of time and of the day-to-day human experience is lost. Hero Generations does the opposite. It pleads with its player to remember that life is precious and to cherish every bit of it.

Hero Generations is being developed for PC, Mac, Linux, and the Ouya. It is expected to be delivered sometime early next year (but that could change). This game needs to exist and it might not see production without our support. Get on over the Kickstarter and be a hero!

I’ve gotten a lot of feedback over the past week from people that don’t own consoles. PC gaming is alive and flourishing so I had no intention of leaving non console gamers out in the cold. The vast majority of major console releases are also released on PC as well, but I have listed some game ideas for families looking to find something unique.

It’s getting to the point now where I am convinced that the President plays Minecraft. This game is available on every non-Nintendo, non-Sony device on the market. Every where you go you will find school ages kids talking about Minecraft and what they have built.

If, somehow, you have missed out on it so far all you need to know: It is a Digital LEGO building game. Players are encouraged to explore and discover combinations of different materials as they find them. This game is everything that you make of it. Kids who love to express themselves creatively will fall in love with this game.

(Ok. You caught me. This one isn’t unique. But, it is a very good idea. Your PC gaming kids will love this one.)

Lilly Looking Through

Lilly Looking Through is an adorably animated point-and-click adventure game. It was brought to us thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign and was a beautiful experience.

It is on the short side, with only 10 different “scenes” to explore, but the storybook art-style and interesting story will keep your kids going.

Kerbal Space Program is an “early access” game, which means that it is regularly being updated as the developer installs more features to the game. It is *technically* not ready for a full retail release.

With that said, there is a lot to do with the game right now that children and families can enjoy. KSP is built around the idea that the player is in control of the space program for a cute race of creatures called “Kerbals.” Players are responsible for building rockets and space shuttles while they try to achieve things like orbiting the planet, landing on the moon, and colonizing other planets. The game is complex, and any number of things can go wrong (to hilarious effect).

Kids, and parents, who enjoy science and exploration will likely find a lot of value here.

Reach for the Sun is yet another science themed game that hides a lot of learning behind some addictive game play. Players control a flower as it grows by balancing three key ingredients (starch, nutrients, and water) as they attempt to grow and reproduce before the winter chill.

These are some of the PC games that I have been able to find. What about all of you? What suggestions do you have? Sound off in the comments!